GONE TO EARTH

For London Design Festival 2012 Jessica Light Trims and Tassels will be launching two new collections. They will be shown in an interior instillation devised by interior design company Precious Mcbane in their studio, an old Clerckenwell machinists shop. 
Our two new collections are Frome- inspired by the illustrations of Jan Pienowski, thread bare linens and fantastical insects in magical shades of ecru, eau-de-nil, raspberry/cherry, jet and yellow- and Potsdam- Russian Contructivism meets Aladdin Sane in a masculine, luxe-glam, graphic range incorporating leather, linen, metal and horsehair in muddy khaki, earth, rust, sand, and cardboard grey with flashes of violet, gold and silver.
We will also be featuring fabric from Olicana Textiles, John Boyd and Chinese burnished indigo from Slow Loris.

Samples from the Frome Collection

Gone To Earth is the hunters cry when the pursued fox has fled underground out of danger. It is also a 1917 novel by Mary Webb, who takes this title as an allegory for the ruthlessness of mans

aptitude for destruction and a lone characters personal response to her circumstances and events.It also sums up the Precious Mcbane and Jessica Light collaboration- a step back to realign and re-present our collective creative outlook. 
Having shown for the last four years at the nurturing homestead of Tent London, Jessica felt it was time to leave the campsite and pitch her Winnebago in uncharted terrain. A move she's simaltainiously excited and  apprehensive at doing.
Pairing up with design company Precious Mcbane seemed an ideal choice as both parties share an idiosyncratic and independent aesthetic view. So expect specific areas to reflect the genre of each collection, a classic piece of furniture made trimtastic, and specimen jars filled with passementerie.

GONE TO EARTH

15-23 SEPTEMBER 2012

2A HELMET ROW

LONDON EC1V 3QJ

11-6, FRI 11-9

THE COTTAGE PROJECT

The Cottage Project is the exciting brainchild of product designer Osian Batyka-Williams and weaver Holly Berry, who have self-converted a derelict building in New Cross Gate into a micro-department store. The premiss is to support and celebrate British artisans though retail, exhibitions, lectures, events and workshops, as well as promoting interaction in the local and wider communities to the processes of across the board making.

Images copyright The Cottage Project

Their first event is a pop-up makers space [which yours truly will be weaving live at] at sportswear brand New Balance's Olympic hospitality suite in London.

New Balance are a unique brand in that they still manufacture their trainers in this country at a factory in Flimby, Cumbria. They are also actively promoting global makers from all walks- musicians, artists, sports-people, designers etc- with their Excellent Makers programme.

One of my pet subjects is British manufacturing and it warms the cockles of my heart to see a major brand supporting and promoting the quality and craftsmanship of products made in this country.

We can't compete with the cheap prices of the Far East and we will never manufacture on the same scale we once did. Our traditional heavy industries such as coal, steel, and textiles are now just a vague and misty memory, as are, very sadly, the communities and culture that surrounded them; but it's factories such as Flimby which should be our blueprint for the future. Compact, involved, skilled and passionate about doing what we do best in the U.K- British Craftsmanship- this is our way forward.

The Cottage Project launches Autumn 2012.

If any press would like a taste of what's to come please visit their showroom by emailing

mail@thecottagelondon.com

Random change of subject and for all you wildlife boffins out there. While in Suffolk recently we came across two giant moths which we believe to be Privet Hawk Moths. I've never seen a moth so big in this country before so had to share it, probably to a chorus of - Oh I see them all the time. They're really common-

TASSEL POETRY

A few years ago I started work on a tassel making book with photographer Katherine Fawssett, which unfortunately had to be shelved due to my workload. I always loved the pictures Katherine took of my tassels made from anything and everything, and when we were discussing the layout we found we had a blank space that needed filling. I flippantly declared I should write  some poems inspired by the tassels and materials, which for some reason Katherine thought was a brilliant idea. She suggested that they should also be inspired by the Victorian nonsense verse found in Edward Lear's work and The Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll.

So here we are- three lovely images taken by Katherine and three poems of utter nonsense.

THE FANTASTIC ELASTIC TASSEL

THE FUNNEL OF LOVE TASSEL

THE SUNDAY TWINE TASSEL

LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL 2012

This year Jessica Light Trims and Tassels are doing something a little different for London Design Week 2012. We will still be launching two new collections but as part of an interior instillation concocted with dynamic design company Precious McBane at their Clerkenwell studio.

A sneak preview of samples from one of our new collections, Potsdam.

THE TASSE TASSEL LAMPSHADE

Our second London Design Festival project is another collaboration, this time with Rebecca Chitty, the brains behind Product Of Your Environment. A lampshade that combines the everyday throwaway with luxe hand-woven passementerie. 
We will be showing these unique lights in various venues throughout East London in a Light Trail.

Keep checking our blog for information and updates.


Available now from Jessica Light Shop, our first collection of trinkets.
Below, a soupson of various treasures